CITY OF OTTAWA ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2015

AGENDA ITEM 5
PROPOSED 2015 2018 TERM OF COUNCIL PRIORITIES
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I WOULD LIKE TO URGE THE COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THAT
THE 2015 2018 TERM OF COUNCIL PRIORITIES REPORT BE AMENDED TO ADD,
AS AN ADDITIONAL PRIORITY, UNDERTAKING A COMPREHENSIVE AND
THOROUGH WASTE MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN. THE COMMITMENT TO
WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNING WOULD SUPPORT STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE AND
INITIATIVE ES2 REDUCE LONG-TERM COSTS THROUGH PLANNED INVESTMENT
AND STAGING OF DIVERSION AND CONSERVATION STRATEGIES.
THE 2011 2014 CITY BALANCED SCORECARD RESULTS SUMMARY NOTES ON
PAGE 4 THAT THE 2013 TARGET OF COMPLETING 100 PERCENT OF THE
MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN DELIVERABLES WAS MET. THIS MAY BE
SO BUT THIS DOESNT MEAN THAT THE WASTE PLAN IN ITS CURRENT ITERATION
IS OF ANY VALUE BECAUSE IT WAS REGRETTABLY ENTIRELY PREMISED ON THE
SUCCESS OF PLASCOS TECHNOLOGY TO MANAGE RESIDUAL WASTES. WE ALL
KNOW HOW THE PLASCO OPTION HAS TURNED OUT.
DESPITE ITS LAUDABLE WASTE REDUCTION GOALS AND SUPPORT FOR DIVERSION
THE CURRENT WASTE PLAN JUST DOESNT STAND UP TO SCRUTINY. THE PLAN
BOUGHT, HOOK, LINE AND SINKER INTO THE PLASCO DREAM. IT DIDNT ASSESS

OTHER DISPOSAL OPTIONS AND THE COLLAPSE OF PLASCO COMPLETELY

UNDERMINES THE PLANS FOUNDATIONS AND KEY ASSUMPTIONS.
THE CRITICALLY WEAKENED PLAN DOESNT CONTAIN ANY DETAILED OR CURRENT
WASTE COMPOSITION DATA. IT DOESNT CONTAIN ANY ANALYSIS OF RESIDUALS
MANAGEMENT OPTIONS OR OF THE RELATIVE COSTS, BENEFITS OR
ENVIROMENTAL IMPACTS OF AVAILABLE RESIDUALS TECHNOLOGIES. THERE IS NO
REVIEW OF MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES. MOST OF THE
WORK THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE DECISION TO BE
BASED UPON DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN DONE.
I AM PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE PRIORITIES REPORT CONTAINS A COMMITMENT
TO A 4 YEAR PROGRAM TO ENHANCE WASTE DIVERSION IN PARKS, BUILDINGS
AND GROUNDS SERVICES OPERATIONS. THIS IS GOOD AS FAR AS IT GOES.
UNDERTAKING A NEW WASTE MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN IS, HOWEVER, A
MUCH MORE IMPORTANT PRIORITY.
HOW CAN WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNING NOT BE A PRIORITY GIVEN WHAT
HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS ON THE PLASCO AND THE
ORGAWORLD FILES? THE CITY PUT ALL ITS WASTE MANAGEMENT EGGS INTO
THE PLASCO BASKET AND THAT BASKET IS NOW IRREVOCABLY BROKEN. THE
ORGAWORLD CONTRACT IS PROBLEMATIC TO SAY THE LEAST.
THE ANTICIPATED 2035 CLOSURE AND 20 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE TRAIL
ROAD LANDFILL (WASTE PLAN DISCUSSION PAPER, ACHIEVING OUR GOALS, JUNE
19, 2012) SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO LULL US INTO THINKING THAT WE HAVE
LOTS OF TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT. OTTAWA IS LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH LANDFILL
CAPACITY AND IT SHOULD BE HUSBANDED CAREFULLY. THE FACT THAT WE
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SUPPOSEDLY HAVE A WASTE PLAN SHOULD NOT CONFUSE YOU. THE CURRENT
WASTE PLAN DOES NOT ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT WASTE MANAGEMENT AND
WASTE DIVERSION CHALLENGES FACING THE CITY NOR DOES IT SET OUT A PATH
FORWARD. OTTAWA NEEDS TO GET OUT AHEAD OF THESE CHALLENGES AS SOON
AS IT CAN AND IT NEEDS TO MAKE UP FOR THE DECADE THAT HAS BEEN LOST
WAITING FOR PLASCO.
THE CITY SHOULD START BY BROADENING ITS CURRENT AUDITING OF THE
RECYCLABLES AND WASTES IN THE BLUE AND BLACK BOX PROGRAMS, THE GREEN
BIN PROGRAM AND IN LEAF AND YARD WASTE. A COMPREHENSIVE WASTE PLAN
SHOULD ALSO BE LOOKING AT WHAT EXACTLY IS IN THE 175,000 TONNES OF
GARBAGE THAT IS DISPOSED OF ANNUALLY AND NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE
RECYCLABLES AND WHERE THEY END UP. HOW MUCH WOOD IS THERE IN THE
WASTE STREAM, HOW MUCH RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION WASTE, HOW
MUCH METAL, HOW MUCH NON-RECYCLABLE PACKAGING, WHATS THE
MOISTURE CONTENT ETC.? THIS IS CRITICAL INFORMATION UPON WHICH TO
BUILD FUTURE DECISIONS ON WASTE DIVERSION AND WASTE DISPOSAL
TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING THERMAL OPTIONS.
THIS COMMITTEE AT ITS INAUGURAL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 17TH DIRECTED
THAT STAFF:
. . .UNDERTAKE, BEFORE PRESENTING A PROCUREMENT STRATEGY . . . . AN
UPDATED WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN TO ENSURE THAT IT INCORPORATES
UPDATED WASTE COMPOSITION DATA AND TO ENSURE THAT APPROACHES TO
ADDRESSING ALL STREAMS ARE INCLUDED, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF MUNICIPAL
BEST PRACTICES.
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THIS DIRECTION SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS. GARBAGE AND
RECYCLING MIGHT BE OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND FOR THE MAJORITY OF
OTTAWAS CITIZENS BUT WASTE MANAGEMENT IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE
CITYS INFRASTRUCTURE. IT SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS A SECOND CLASS
LOWER PRIORITY RELATIVE TO OTHER, PERHAPS MORE VISIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL
INITIATIVES, SUCH AS INCREASING FOREST COVER AND STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT.
I URGE YOU TO MAKE WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNING A PRIORITY FOR 2015 2018.
THANK YOU
DUNCAN BURY
193 COWLEY AVENUE, OTTAWA (613) 729-0499